History.
Union of Leicestershire & Rutland Provinces & Formation of the Vale of Catmos Lodge
The Rutland Lodge No. 1130 decided to apply for a Warrant of Constitution to establish a new Lodge, which would be named the Vale of Catmos Lodge, set to convene in Oakham. This initiative catalysed a series of actions beyond what is typically expected in such situations. The intended Lodge was situated in an area that had held nominal Provincial status since 1776, yet had no formal Provincial organisation and, following the passing of the esteemed Hippolyto Jose da Costa, was devoid of a Provincial Grand Master. To address this, the M.W. Grand Master decided that the P.G.M. of Leicestershire would assume jurisdiction over the smaller Province. Consequently, on 30th September 1869, a Provincial Grand Lodge meeting was called at Oakham in the Agricultural (now Victoria) Hall for its Annual General Meeting, during which the consecration of the new Lodge was to take place.
The adoption of the by-laws established that the new Lodge would conduct its meetings in accordance with the cycles of the full moon. This was not a novel concept; it had been the established practice of the mother Lodge, and continued to be until 1899. The Vale of Catmos Lodge likely embraced this tradition, given the challenges of the era, where narrow roads, poor surfaces, and inadequate lighting made travel difficult. In a time when options were limited to farm carts, pony traps, or saddle-horses, basing meetings around the full moon was a practical decision. Additionally, a horse that had not eaten was often more adept at finding its way home than its rider, who, having dined, would benefit from the illumination of the moon for a more comfortable journey.
Member groups.
Seven of the ten Founders were affiliated with the Rutland Lodge. Among these Founders, three held the title of The Reverend and were recorded in the original minute book as clerks in H.O. Additionally, two were identified as farmers, while the other Founders held various occupations, including actuary, doctor, gentleman, land agent, and maltster.
It is important to remember that during its inception, the Vale of Catmos Lodge was predominantly a country Lodge. Among the first nine Worshipful Masters, seven were farmers. In contrast to modern times, where there is no single predominant member group (with the exception of retirees), the late 20th century saw a significant presence of former teachers and shopkeepers. Currently, the membership encompasses a diverse range of professions and occupations.
Other special considerations.
Forming other Lodges
In October 1964 a petition to the M.W. Grand Master applying for a Warrant of Constitution to permit the formation of a new Lodge, to be named the Old Oakhamian Lodge No. 8033, was received, approved and signed by the Master and Wardens with due ceremony. Similarly, in 1984, the Vale of Catmos Lodge sponsored a third Lodge in Rutland named the Uppingham-in-Rutland Lodge No.9119.
Bad & Good Times
The Vale of Catmos Lodge had its ups and downs. Two particularly difficult periods were during the two World Wars 1914–1918 and 1939–1945 but it survived and grew in strength. The Lodge also had a bad patch in the late 1990s and in 1997 reduced its number of meetings from seven to four per year due to resignations and lack of candidates. However, in the early 2000s, the situation began to improve for a variety of reasons and in 2006 the Lodge reverted to seven meetings a year.
The Move to Oakham School
This move was initiated by a change of arrangements at Victoria Hall, and the Lodge considered this to be an ideal opportunity to utilise the accumulated funds of a member’s legacy to secure long-term accommodation for the Lodge. The first meeting at Oakham School was held in October 2006 and in August 2008 an agreement between the Lodge and school was signed enabling the Lodge to firmly re-establish itself in Oakham.
